Technology is the zeitgeist of our time, but can it actually protect our children?
Child safety is a chief concern for American parents, and 3 in 10 parents say they’re most worried about the safety of their children in school. Which emerging technologies are keeping our kids safe both in school and out?
1. School Bus Trackers
GPS-enabled school bus tracking technology is the future of student transportation. School buses move over 25,000,000 children a day in the U.S. alone, but most aren’t monitored in any meaningful way. Inexpensive school bus tracking solutions like Viafy combine the power of GPS technology, route management, and a parent app to streamline the process and make student transportation more transparent. Better visibility gives parents agency in their children’s commutes and offers schools a more effective way to keep track of buses and drivers.
2. Helmet Concussion Sensors
Kids football has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade thanks to new information about the long term effects of concussions and TBIs. New helmet technology designed in tandem with neurosurgeons can now effectively measure force on a child’s head during play. Through alerts like lights and/or alarms, adults can make a more educated decision on whether or not a child should sit out, or even be evaluated by a medical professional.
3. Distracted Driving Tech
Technology may be both the root cause and the answer to the epidemic of distracted driving. A host of new applications and devices are aimed at curbing distracted driving by effectively “eliminating” distractions like smart phone texting capability. While some solutions must be voluntarily activated each time a driver gets behind the wheel, others use Bluetooth to automatically create “safe driver zones” the minute the car is in use. The technology is of particular interest to parents of easily-distracted teens.
4. Automated Enforcement Technology
Speed is the number one factor in determining whether an automobile crash will be fatal. Some municipalities, notably Washington D.C. are in the early stages of implementing speed sensing cameras aimed at curbing lead-footed drivers. Questions about placement, cost, and reliability remain, but statistics from pilot programs are promising enough to have instigated several new bills regarding traffic engineering.
5. Hot Car Sensors
On average, 37 children die each year in America after being trapped inside hot cars. New technologies – both cloud applications and devices installed directly into cars or car seats – hope to help. In some instances, alerts can be set to flash on the dashboard reminding drivers to check the backseat. Other devices are set to audibly alarm when weight is detected inside a carseat and the driver side door is opened.
Viafy takes the challenge of child safety seriously.
Our technology is designed to make school bus travel more efficient and more reliable, thus decreasing the risks to children both inside and outside the bus. Ready to learn more?